Journeys of Darkness
Journeys of Darkness is a story written by user Chicken Bond. It focuses on the adventures of the Order of Mata Nui member Mersery and his allies during their struggles with Millennium and the Shadow of Ages on the newly reformed planet of Spherus Magna. Chapter 1 On a distant island far to the north of the now non-functional Matoran Universe, a dark, twisted being, cloaked in darkness, sat on his mighty throne. Although the figure's body could not be seen, his dark crimson eyes shimmered in the darkness. The figure let a light chuckle echo through his chamber, as he deactivated his telepathic powers. "As I predicted," the being said to himself. "Spherus Magna has been successfully restored as planned. No doubt the inhabitants of this universe have already fled to the surface of the planet to mingle with the Agori." At that point, a door opened. A dark figure emerged from it, walking towards the throne, clearly confident of being in the presence of a more powerful being than himself. "Good evening Millennium" the being said. Millennium nodded slowly. He knew this figure as both his greatest spy, and his group's go-between and representative with other factions. "What news do you bring me?" Asked Millennium as he rattled his clawed hand against the arm of his massive throne. "Your spies have successfully infiltrated the new society that is being formed on Spherus Magna," The spy replied. "I doubt they will bother searching for you or the Shadow of Ages anytime soon." "Excellent! What of the... negotiations with that group of Skrall?" Asked Millennium, his tone slightly darker. "Discussions are... intense, in a manner of speaking. the Skrall are unsure that joining us will make a difference. Besides, they find our secretive nature unnerving, to an extent. Therefore they find us untrustworthy." "Hmm," answered Millennium. He lifted himself from his throne, and walked towards his agent. "You know what must be done if they refuse," Millennium said, his voice no more than a whisper. "If they refuse our offer, they must be dealt with. No one must know that we exist, especially now that my plans near their completion." "Yes, Millennium," replied the figure. Millennium turned away from his ally, and walked to another part of his chamber. It was a large room, and had been carved into the heart of one of Chrone's most active volcanoes. He had based the room's design off the laboratory he had been created in by the Great Beings near the outskirts of a village that would later be known as Tajun. His throne room was part of circular spire that descended into a pool of lava. Connected to this spire were several bridges and pathways, each leading to either a door or a portal leading to other dimensions. Millennium stopped his pace when he stood before a large table, decorated with charts, records, and texts of untold age. "This stratagem of mine has been strained by time and unexpected interferences, though everything is now falling into place." As Millennium's spy bowed and departed, he couldn't help but flinch as the sound of Millennium's dark laughter echoed throughout his chamber. ---- Mersery stood atop of a small ledge in a region of the jungle known as Bota Magna. He smiled for the first time in perhaps months. Things had been very grim during Teridax's reign over the Matoran Universe, and now that he was gone, everyone was more than overwhelmed. The Mersion looked down at the village bellow. Ever since Makuta's death, the Matoran, Agori, and other species from his universe and this one had agreed to get along peacefully, and forge a new and better society. Thanks to the efforts Mata Nui, the languages of this world had been placed in minds of the inhabitants of the Matoran Universe and vice-versa, making it easier to socialize. Mersery strode down the hill, and into a village. Agori and Matoran were well underway in their work, scurrying about here and there to aid in the construction of their new town. Mersery turned to face a Turaga. He had recently been elected to lead the village. "Hello there, warrior," said the elder. "Are you here to assist in the construction efforts?" "Perhaps," replied Mersery, "Though not for long, I need to be with my own people. They are in the middle of migrating to the region known as the Northern Frost." "Very well," the Turaga answered. "Though stay long enough to see the completion of our village. As you may see, we are already nearing culmination." With a smile, the Turaga turned and departed, as a group of Agori and Matoran beckoned him to inspect a new structure. Mersery stared at the working villagers and sighed sadly. He had learned that the Agori had suffered great hardships during their lives, and had also reached the logical conclusion that they were uncertain about living in harmony with other species after spending so long competing to survive. However, debates and disputes would be resolved, and old wounds in both societies would heal over time in the way they always did. Mersery then walked off, intending to get a better look at the jungle beyond the village. As he ventured deep into the forest, Mersery found himself unable to restrain his fascination for the bizarre plant life and creatures that he came across. He knew he had to study them later. After several minutes of walking, Mersery entered a large clearing with some noticeably peculiar features. The plant life in the area was arranged to disguise everything around him but the clearing itself, making it the perfect spot for an ambush. What made things even more peculiar, was that the earth before him had been disturbed, as if someone had been attacked or captured. At that point, a horde of warriors adorned in black and red armour emerged from their hiding places, aiming their swords and launchers at the being who had stumbled into their trap. Mersery recognized them as the same warriors who had previously battled the inhabitants of this world during Mata Nui and Teridax's final confrontation. The Order member remained still, not wanting the beings to recognize him as a threat. At that instant, another warrior appeared. He was larger than the others of his kind, and was dragging a small red armoured Agori by the throat. "I take it, your in charge," said Mersery in a remarkably calm tone. The warrior spat on the ground. "Indeed I am. My name is Tervok, I am a Skrall of the Elite Warrior class. This pest here, is an Agori named Falmed. Now, surrender yourself before I am forced to remove his head." Mersery assumed a offensive stance. "Sorry, my friend, but I'm not in the mood for death dilemmas," he replied in a cold tone. "Very well," replied Tervok. "Kill him!" At that second, the surrounding Skrall raised their blades and charged. Mersery closed his eyes, raising his arm into the air, and began focusing his thoughts. He knew he couldn't risk losing his concentration if his plan was to work. At that moment, vines and other plant life erupted from the ground, attacking the Skrall, and forcing them back. Mersery let on smile before turning to face Tervok. "Your move," he said in a light tone. Tervok growled in anger. Suddenly, he barked something in a different language that beckoned the still active Skrall to retreat to Tervok's side. "If your so powerful, why don't you stop us all." he roared. With a bone-chilling war cry, Tervok and his warriors charged, weapons drawn and ready to kill. Mersery drew his staff, and awaited Tervok's attack. However, at the last second, Tervok lowered his sword, and launched a Thornax at his foe. The explosive hit Mersery dead center, distracting him for a second, though long enough for Tervok to tackle Mersery, and send reeling onto the ground. Before he could recover his weapons, Tervok had already kicked his staff and launcher away from his reach. The Skrall chuckled. "I've fought Vorox tougher than you. Now then, what shall it be? Your life..." Tervok began. A Skrall warrior then approached with a captive Falmed, and pressed his blade against his throat. "Or his," finished Tervok with a smile. Chapter 2 Mersery eyes flickered towards the captive Falmed, and back onto the being who stood before him; a charming fellow named Tervok. "Make your decision," said the Skrall, mockery never escaping his voice. Mersery knew that he himself was in every right more powerful than him, though was also aware that if he dare use his vast array of abilities to defeat Tervok, it would give his other warriors the chance to kill Falmed. Which now explains his current dilemma. "Very well," muttered Mersery bitterly, defeat echoing in his tone. "You win." Tervok laughed hard. "Very well, then. Meet your fate at the hands of the Skrall!" As Tervok was raised his blade, Mersery noticed out of the corner of his eye what appeared to be plant life melting to ash. He turned his eyes back to Tervok, a new plan in mind. "Wait!" cried Mersery. The blade of the red and black armoured warrior came to a halt mere inches from Mersery's mask. "Why are you doing this?" he asked in an attempt to stall time. "Why do you not join the new civilisation being birthed on this world at this very moment? The Agori and Glatorian speak of your kind in bitterness, though I believe that if you try hard enough, you make up for your past crimes." Tervok laughed again. "I'd rather die by Tuma's blade than join your culture of weaklings. The only way my people would rejoin Spherus Magna is as its conquerors!" As the gathered Skrall let out a roar of approval, they failed to notice the continuing disintegration of the nearby flora. "We are warriors not labourers. We don't scurry around attending to mundane tasks, we dominate cities, burn villages, and rule over all. I believe the old saying among our tribe was: '' 'We fight. We win. We take. We are--' " Before he could finish his sentence, a massive explosion erupted just outside the clearing Tervok and his allies were gathered in. Flames began consuming the trees nearby, and soon everything in the area was alight, preventing anyone from escaping. A figure, roughly the shape of a Toa, began approaching the wall of fire that burned between itself and Tervok. Mersery had no idea who this being was, though Tervok certainly seemed to. He called to a pair of his warriors. "Attack! Ensure he doesn't come into the region until I've dealt with this one." The two Skrall nodded obediently, and charged forward until they stood before the raging wall of fire that surrounded their territory. Suddenly, the figure seen on the other side raised a sword, and all the flames instantly retreated back into their tool. Now standing in the clearing, was a warrior adorned in pitted crimson and yellow armour, wielding a menacing sword and a primitive-looking launcher. As the warrior strode forward, his weary eyes blazed with a fiery determination Mersery had not seen in centuries. "Flardrek," Tervok spat. "I should have known you would have come, when you learned your Agori friend had been--" The rest of Tervok's words were cut off by the force of a beam light, focused by a launcher held in Mersery's hand. The sheer ferocity of the blast sent the Skrall flying back into a nearby tree. Mersery then jumped to his feet, grabbed his staff, and slammed its pommel into the ground, sending out shockwaves that knocked everyone but Mersery off their feet. Tervok's Skrall warriors quickly recovered, and in an instant, had regrouped, staring menacingly at their foe. "Let's go," cried one. "We can't take them both." "No! Skrall are not cowards," roared another. Several Skrall nodded in acceptance, their gaze never faltering from Mersery's. "Indeed, we are not. But we cannot win when we have two foes with superior power. Now, let's go!" The other Skrall muttered in agreement, and if somewhat reluctantly, ran off into the jungle without their leader. Flardrek got to his feet, and raised his sword. In an instant, the remaining flames ravaging the nearby trees were absorbed back into the weapon as if they had never existed. He then looked intently at Mersery. He didn't know who he was, though he looked like an ally. His musings were interrupted by the moaning and cursing of Tervok as he struggled to get to his feet. Flardrek strode over to him and kicked him hard. The Skrall went spiraling into the dirt. Flardrek then raised his sword and pointed it at Tervok's neck, flames dancing off its tip. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just let you burn here and now," Flardrek said in a chilling voice. "I lost many good warriors during that battle at the outpost; many dear friends. All at your hands." Tervok sneered. "They died the death of a warrior, Flardrek. I would of thought that is what you would have wanted." Flardrek growled angrily. "They died in cold blood, Tervok. Something your kind are all too well at ensuring." Tervok let out a mocking laugh. "You believe you were the only one who lost good soldiers that day? My own Skrall warriors died at your hands in an ambush orchestrated by you. Their blood is just as much stained on your hands as they are on mine. However, unlike you, I can easily rally a new battalion of warriors to my cause without ." "Then where are they?" asked Flardrek, as he eyed the area. "Where have your numerous warriors fled to?" "They'll be back," said Tervok in a tone mixed with a combination of bitterness and panic. Flardrek snorted. "I don't think they'll be coming back anytime soon." "Then what will you do with me? End my life, as you did those of my soldiers years ago?" "No, I won't. I want you to live a long life, overshadowed by the humiliation that you were defeated by myself and this warrior here," Flardrek said as he gestured towards Mersery. "I want the world to know that your life was held so easily in my hands; so easily determined by my choice. And because of that, no one will ever remember you with honour, just like none of your kind remember the name of your old leader, Tuma, with the acclaim you once held him in." With that, Flardrek turned and walked away, stopping only to free Falmed from his chains before continuing. Only Mersery stayed behind to look at the stunned Tervok, and after a heavy sigh, turned to leave. In a fit of anger and rage, Tervok raised himself from the ground and charged at Mersery with his sword, intending to finish off the one who had brought dishonour to his name. In quick motion, Mersery whirled around, blocked Tervok's blow, sent a kick to his midsection, and delivered a punch to the face that sent Tervok on a collision course with the ground. Mersery looked down pitifully at the Skrall before he left to join Flardrek. As soon as the three had vanished from sight, a tall, winged figure materialized before Tervok, staring down wearily at the warrior who had fallen before his master's enemy. "Now do you see your situation," said Makuta Dredzek. "Do you realize why you must accept our offer? You must know you cannot last long on your own. If you join us, we can reunite your forces. And once Spherus Magna has submitted before my leader's empire, the Rock Tribe can be reformed... with you as its head." There was a long silence following Dredzek's words, which was only shattered when Tervok added one final word to the matter. "Deal." Chapter 3 Far within the region of the Black Spike Mountains, a lone green and lime armoured figure strode through the treacherous terrain of the land. It had been days, maybe even a few weeks, since Teridax's death, and this warrior had craved to be free of his reign long before the Makuta had finally met his end. But as the former Skakdi warlord Freztrak had always said to his warriors, ''"never anticipate what the sights of the future may hold. Sometimes death may be a joy, and peace can become a dread." In this case, life had become an undeniable dread. This planet, Spherus Magna, had been reformed by the Great Spirit, Mata Nui himself, and following this, he had opted to remain dormant within the Mask of Life. Freztrak himself had felt barren dunes turn to vast valleys of hearty vegetation beneath his feet; dried ditches flood with the purest of water, and great mountains rupture out of the ground to tower over the new world. Many would consider such a miracle something to be praised, but Freztrak had stood out of the crowd for any number of reasons. He was a Skakdi, for a starter, and where he came from, they were not the most welcomed species in the universe. It was not unusual for a Skakdi to be brawled, stoned, or even stabbed by the locals of other lands. Luckily, most Skakdi never left their war-zone of a homeland named Zakaz, and therefore, the opinions of the rest of the universe could not affect them. Freztrak arrived at a small stream, where numerous strange fish swam. He plunged an arm into the water, and with lightning speed, grabbed hold of a fish, pulled it out of the water, and chucked it into his mouth. As he chewed and swallowed the unfortunate fish, Freztrak reflected on the days of his life prior to Teridax's reign. Those days were ones of battle, conquest, destruction, and glory. Zakaz was an unstable region; and unstable lands required unstable leaders. Freztrak was one such leader, having previously ruled the northern lands of Zakaz with an iron fist. He was feared and respected by many of the inhabitants of Zakaz, and has name was spoken in hushed and whispered tones among the Skakdi for his mysterious and aloof nature. These elusive characteristics were only increased when he, if a little reluctantly, joined the Order of Mata Nui, a secretive organization dedicated to serving the will of Mata Nui. Freztrak had never felt at home among the ranks of the Order, and their leader, Helryx, showed little (if any) care towards the way he felt about his "occupation." So long as he performed his missions effectively, she was happy. Freztrak was brought back to the world of reality by the sound of twigs crackling. He turned his gaze towards an open clearing, and out of the woods strode a series of black and red armoured warriors, commonly referred to as a Skrall. Each carried numerous weapons, ranging from swords to shields to spiked clubs. In an instant, a figure emerged up before then from nothing. The figure was shrouded in shadows, and as soon as the silhouette surrounding its body faded, the whole area went dark, before anyone could glimpse at it's features. Suddenly, the sound of screams and armour being shattered echoed throughout the valley. Skrall cried out in vain for help, one even babbling about a creature called a "Baterra" being the cause of the attack. Finally a chilling roar escaped the mouth of what seemed to be the attacker, and the shadow encompassing the area faded, exposing dozens of injured or dead Skrall. All of this had occurred in a maximum of twenty seconds. The survivors panicked as the figure cloaked in darkness approached them, taking strong yet soft strides; concealing the masses of power that it possessed. Finally, it stopped in his tracks and spoke one word. It was in a voice that sounded it had been birthed from darkest pits of the realm of Karzahni; though nonetheless the word was said. "Run," it said in a chillingly quite tone. The Skrall warriors, trembling with fear, dropped whatever they had left of their weapons and fled the area, scattering themselves into the forest. A light chuckle then ruptured from the being's mouth as it faded into nothingness, leaving only Freztrak to view the battlefield. Swifter than a Shallows Cat on the hunt, the Skakdi sped off into the woods. His destination was undetermined, yet the person he wished to meet was; and Freztrak prayed in his mind that he could only be quick enough to warn him of what now threatened this brave, new world. ---- Falmed crouched behind a burning shelter, barely being able to comprehend what was happening. It had been only a several hours since Mersery and Flardrek's battle with Tervok when they arrived at the village, and already they were locked in combat with another, powerful, warrior; not exactly Falmed's favourite day-to-day hobby. He looked over his hiding spot, Mersery and Flardrek were still locked in combat with a being who had identified himself as Skorr. He levitated lightly above the ground, using a pair of wing blades to balance himself. Mersery summoned his telekinetic powers, and lifted a pair of merchant stalls, before hurling them at the bounty hunter. Skorr dodged the first, still remaining suspended in the air, and used the weapon he carried in his left hand to melt the second into superheated magma. The being chuckled. "You're going to have to do better than that if you expect to defeat me, Mersion. I've dealt with foes that can command the power to warp people's minds and shred their sanity." "Then let's try an alternative strategy," cried Flardrek as a he sent a blast of fire at the Zeverek. Skorr performed a mid-air back flip, avoiding the first blast, though was hit in the chest by a second, yet he still remained aloft in the air. The bounty hunter cursed under his breath as Flardrek sent another volley of fire towards him. This time Skorr did not move. Instead, he pressed a series of buttons on a strange gauntlet mounted on his right arm, and suddenly, a strange, red energy shield that encompassed his whole body was formed. The shield withstood the force of Flardrek's blast, and when Skorr deactivated it, he raised his weapon and showered the Glatorian with his own barrage of destruction. Rock was reduced to magma in seconds, and Flardrek was sent flying into a small shack by the impact of the blast. Skorr let a smile cover his face. As he eyed the smoldering crater where Flardrek had once stood, he felt his vision abruptly blur. Skorr laughed as he strengthened the mental shields that guarded his mind. "Nice try, Mersery, I must admit. You managed to disorientate my sight even with my mental shields up." "How do you know my name?" asked Mersery as he deactivated his telepathic powers. "I know many things, my friend. I also know I'm getting paid a great amount to complete my mission. So if it's no problem with you, I'm going to kill you, remove your head, mount it on my wall, and collect the technology my client desires. Oh yeah, and make myself a remarkably rich individual in the process." Mersery chuckled bitterly. "Bounty hunters. You're skills are wasted on mass slaughter and profit. You could become so much more should you have given yourself a true purpose in life." "I do have a purpose," said Skorr as he swooped down and kicked Mersery in the chest. "And that purpose is offering my skills and talents as a mercenary to anyone who wish to see their enemies' faces wiped off the face of the world. And believe me, It's not a bad lifestyle." Mersery had just about had enough of this. Standing to his full height, Mersery raised his staff and focused a blast of energy that knocked the bounty hunter out of the air and onto the cold, hard ground. Skorr chuckled slowly as he rose to his feet and activated his armour's cloaking function, turning himself completely invisible. Knowing the Zeverek would be moving in to make a final strike, Mersery raised his staff, and entered a defensive stance, aware Skorr could strike at any moment. Suddenly, all forms of combat discipline were forgotten when Mersery felt a massive shock of pain erupt on his left side. When he turned to look at the wound, a tremendous effort considering the agony he was in, Mersery saw the bladed tail of Skorr embedded in his armour. A quick scan of the wound revealed that the stab had not damaged his organic tissue, though was deep enough to cause him great sensations of pain. The blade then dislodged itself from Mersery's side, prompting the Mersion to slump to ground. Injured, exhausted, and weakened by the venom of Skorr's tail blade, Mersery was unable to even raise his claws as Skorr materialized before him. "No, I won't let you die today," he began in a faint sing-song voice. "I'm a bounty hunter of the finest class, and as such, I have few truly worthy foes. You'd be surprised as to how dearly I miss my enemies when they're dead and gone. Killing a warrior like you will only allow the enjoyment of such a hunt to die far too quickly, but to prolong it, to toy with your mind whilst I stalk you in the shadows, that'll be much more pleasurable. Now if you excuse me, I have an artefact to steal." Mersery tried to lift himself, though found he couldn't; his pain already taking it's toll. He tried to rage, to fight, to stand, to prove his might, but the venom rooting itself in Mersery's body proved too much, and he fell to the floor again, watching as Skorr walked slyly towards a burning shelter, blast the door open, and cackled as he walked inside. Mersery then closed his eyes, as he gave into the poison within his body, and then only the darkness greeted him. Chapter 4 Mersery felt he shouldn't be here. Something was nagging at him. Perhaps it was because he had no weapons. Perhaps it was because his armour appeared to be in it's original state prior to that battle with the Makuta who had ruined it. Though perhaps the thing that was nagging at him the most was that he was now standing on one of the snow-capped hills of his home, Versuva, an island in the now powered-down Matoran Universe. No, there was something else not right here. And then he realized what it was. Where were Flardrek and Falmed? Surely they should be with him at the moment. He turned around desperately to look for the two, but they couldn't be found. He calmed himself and tried to think logically. Obviously, It would appear he was now back in the Matoran Universe, though how was the confusing bit. Telportation? No, he would have regained consciousness during the experience of such a move. Being kidnapped and returned to the island? No, he would have regained consciousness during the long period of time it would of taken to travel here. As Mersery pondered, a figure emerged from the valley before him. It was a member of his own kind, a female Mersion. She was young, and with a slim, yet strong build. Judging from her youth, it wouldn't surprise him if she was still learning at Versuva's Great Academy. The female walked up to Mersery and asked, "Are you one of the academy's teachers?" Mersery wasn't sure how to react to the question. Sure, he had been one of the most revered scholars and scientists on Versuva earlier in his life, but those days were long since behind him. And besides, he had never qualified as a teacher at the academy on Versuva. No matter, Mersery replied in the way that he knew would help solve this confusing matter. "Yes, I am. I was merely... studying the flora of this valley." "Well you'd best finish up," replied the female. "The class is waiting to learn." The young Mersion strode down the hill, followed closely by Mersery. After a short journey, the two arrived on the outskirts of a small city, standing just beyond the gates of the city, was a small group of Mersions being lectured by a much older looking member of Mersery's kind. The female strode up to the older Mersion, and spoke. "I managed to find a teacher for you, Sir. Judging from what he has told me, I think he's a teacher from the academy." The older Mersion smiled. "Thank you, my dear. Now return to the rest of the class." The younger Mersion nodded and joined the rest of her fellow students. The old Mersion then turned to face Mersery. "Ah, you must be the teacher sent to replace me for today. I'm afraid I'm feeling ill at this moment, and the administrators at the academy said they'd send me down a substitute whilst I departed to rest. I hope your up to the task instructing my class today." "I hope so," replied Mersery in a slightly puzzled tone. "Tell me, what subject am I supposed to be teaching?" The Mersion laughed. "Didn't the instructors tell you before you came down? You'll be instructing my class on the ancient mythologies of the universe. Not my favourite subject, as I personally prefer the study of science, though it is a necessary study nonetheless." Mersery nodded. "Now if you excuse me," said the elder with a cough, "I must leave now." Mersery turned to face the class before him. The students stared at him blankly, waiting to learn. Mersery sighed and turned to face a carving with ancient Matoran lettering carved on its large, stone face. "Well... er... students, I expect you to be taking notes on this translation." The class nodded, and waited attentively. "Right," Mersery added with a feeble smile in an effort to conceal his confusion. "This text is the highlight of your studies, I presume, so listen carefully. It would appear that this script was carved several centuries ago. It's a poetic sort of myth, so it must have been carved by a being either very fearful or skeptical of what he was recording." Mersery cleared his throat and read the transcript. :"Away from the light, this one strides, Through barren lands and burning tides. Deep in darkness this one laughs, Even the Great Ones raise their staffs. :"''Long and treacherous, his path is steep, Yet he fails to notice those who creep. His tale is long, and steeped in blood, Though everyone knows he caused the flood. :"He says he knows and understood, Though has his learning been for good? Power is raised, and placed on his crest, Yet all who live consider it a jest. :"On his whim, the world shall crack, yet all will cheer within his pack. He will join the darkness, as it were, Yet deep inside a light will stir. :"The Wall of Time will soon burn down, It is here where this one shall be bound. Though the eye of the storm will have been by, To say he has perished would be a lie. :"He will wait and watch for his time, Pray in your mind he is past his prime." The carving finished there, and Mersery eyed it again to make sure it's contents were certain. The class muttered their thoughts in silence. Mersery eyed the tablet again and again, this time more frantically. He had heard a myth or... prophecy, so to speak, similar to this one some time ago. He knew when he had heard these words ushered, and who had said them, though prayed in his mind that it wasn't who he thought it was. Suddenly, Mersery noticed something strange. A gap, a flaw, a mistake in the world around him. A lean figure, dressed in a dark cloak with an overshadowing hood, stood in the darkening shade of a alleyway, merely staring at him. No features could be distinguished, only a pair of sinister crimson eyes. Somehow, Mersery knew he shouldn't be there. Mersery charged at full speed after the watcher, who reacted by running away himself. Mersery chased him into a street filled with stalls and hard-working Matoran. The entity, moved past them in a style that would seem time had slowed down for him, and he dodged the villagers almost effortlessly. Mersery, on the other hand, was not having such luck; and was ramming his way through Matoran, Rahi, and a few stands. Eventually, he caught up with the figure, and leapt at him, pinning him to the floor. He stared at the figure's black velvet cape. It was adorned in ancient Matoran symbols which were incomprehensible to the common eye. Mersery quickly scanned the being's clothing, and with a heavy regrets, removed the being's hood. Mersery's eyes widened. For there, now exposed to the glowing sunlight, was the face of Millennium. "What are you doing here," Mersery asked in a threatening tone. Millennium didn't respond. Instead, he laughed as his evil eyes glowed. Suddenly the air went sour, as if someone had poisoned it's scent, and it soon became infected with a bleak mist. This was followed by the sun's colours altering to that of a red velvet, projecting crimson light in every direction. To make things even more confusing, white energy began to violently erupt from the eyes of the beings walking the streets, and they screamed. It is horrible. It was a nightmare. It was, Mersery finally realized, the world Millennium intended to create. Mersery lifted himself off Millennium and walked into the centre of the chaos as the stone ground cracked and reality collapsed around him. Or was it reality? At this rate, Mersery couldn't tell what was real and what was madness. As Millennium continued to laugh, one final atrocity was added to the cataclysm at hand. A crack emerged in the crimson sky. As Mersery stared at it, the crack opened, and out beamed blinding, white light, bathing the suffering inhabitants of Versuva in pure light. Mersery thought that this would relieve them, but it didn't. If anything they screamed even louder from being in even greater pain. One Matoran fell to the ground, being in too much pain to continue standing. Mersery rushed to his side and held him, and watched as the light that the crack endowed on him began to dissolve the Matoran. Mersery continued to watch in shock, as the Matoran faded into nothingness, only to reform in black, twisted armour. Mersery dropped the creature that had once been a Matoran in surprise. The Matoran stared at him for a few seconds as if it was trying to categorize him, before scuttling to Millennium's feet and bowing before him. As Matoran and Mersions alike continued to burn and scream, Mersery, amidst all the chaos, turned to face Millennium and in pure shock and horror said. "What have you done?!" Millennium continued to laugh as rock and buildings shattered around them. Then, in a shocking turn of events, four tendrils made of pure darkness ruptured out of Millennium's mouth and ensnared themselves around Mersery. The Order member tried to break free of Millennium's grip but nothing seemed to shatter Millennium's concentration as he began to constrict Mersery. Tighter and tighter the tendrils squeezed, as Mersery's vision began to blur all the while. Millennium rose to his feet and let out a mighty roar before speaking. "This is my realm, Mersery. Soon this will become reality, and I will rule!" With that Mersery finally broke down as Millennium's tendrils squeezed their hardest one final time. The world then vanished into darkness, as Millennium continued to laugh before he faded from sight. Mersery was now in a void of nothingness, his thoughts alone being his only company. Is this the end? he thought. Is this where I meet my death? In a reality that doesn't even make sense? As Mersery continued to contemplate his doom, a voice could be heard that echoed throughout the whole empty void, shattering Mersery's thoughts. "Mersery? Are you alright? Can you here me?" It was the voice of the Fire Agori Falmed. Mersery tried to speak but found he couldn't. Then, the void split open and light bathed into the blankness, much like in Millennium's reality, though this time, the light brought peace and comfort. And again Mersery's vision began to blur and he drifted into the light, whilst the voice of Falmed gradually grew softer and softer. ---- Mersery gasped and opened his eyes. He was back on Spherus Magna, back in the village he had been in before he had been knocked unconscious, back with Falmed and Flardrek. Falmed stood beside him, treating a wound. He looked up and smiled. "Ah, at last, your awake! We were getting worried you had slipped into a coma." "Not a coma," Mersery began. "More like a very bad dream." He looked around. Agori and Matoran were attending to the damage to their homes, whilst Flardrek was inspecting a small house on the outskirts of the town with the village's Turaga and a number of others. Mersery tried to stand, but a stabbing pain forced him to sit back down. Falmed sighed. "Your lucky some of these villagers had the necessary herbs to cleanse your body of Skorr's venom," said the Agori. "Had they not had them, well... we don't need to go into details, but I doubt you would be speaking with us right now." Flardrek turned his head, and upon realizing Mersery was conscious, raced to his side. "Mersery, you've got to come with me." "Why," he asked. "Is something wrong?" Flardrek placed his arm on Mersery's shoulder, prompting him to wrap his around Flardrek's, and the Glatorian managed to lift Mersery to his feet. "I think you'd better take a look at this," said Flardrek as they walked towards the house he had been inspecting earlier. Chapter 5 A Skrall warrior slumped down in front of a warm campfire and stared up at the star-lit sky of Spherus Magna. Surrounding him were fellow members of his kind. His gaze returned to the dull fire, the flames weakly flickering, and he contemplated the last few days. Contemplation was not something Skrall did often. They didn’t look inwards or backwards, instead, they preferred to look forward. To the future. To conquest. To victory! However, these last few days had been trying indeed, even by the standards of a Skrall. After the great battle between two gigantic mechanoids, and the reformation of Spherus Magna, most Skrall warriors had either been captured or scattered into the wilderness. This particular Skrall warrior had been under Tervok’s command in the aftermath of the massive battle, and under his leadership, had attempted to journey back to the Skrall’s original homeland within the jungles of Bota Magna, with the rest of his comrades. During their journey, the group had stopped to make camp in the forests, but their position was unwittingly discovered by a fire Agori named Falmed, who had been searching for resources to aid in the construction of a small village. Not wishing the Toa and Glatorian to discover them, Tervok had the Agori captured and held hostage. That was perhaps the elite Skrall’s most fatal mistake. Shortly after Falmed’s capture, a search party was formed to find the Agori, forcing the Skrall to remain on constant alert. After a being named Mersery stumbled into their hideout, Tervok blackmailed him into submitting to a death sentence in order to preserve Falmed’s life. Before they could kill him, however, an old war rival of Tervok’s, named Flardrek, arrived and defeated elite warrior himself in combat. Fearing capture, the other Skrall had fled and abandoned their leader. Things only got worse when the fighters wondered into a clearing where they were brutally ambushed by a mysterious entity cloaked in darkness, who swiftly injured or killed a large majority of the Skrall’s number. The Skrall warrior raised his head at the sound of footsteps approaching, and promptly grabbed his saw shield. The other surviving Skrall grabbed their weapons too, and readied for whatever creature was coming their way. When the figure emerged from the shadows, all Skrall lowered their weapons in shock. The being who they had expected to see the least was now standing before them yet again. Tervok’s mouth curved into a smile. “Good evening, traitors,” he spat. “What has brought you into such a ravaged state?” The Skrall warriors didn’t reply. “H-how did you escape,” asked one curious Skrall. “We all thought you had been captured by that Glatorian fiend and his behemoth of an ally.” Tervok laughed. “You know me better than this, my friends. Did you really expect a weak warrior like Flardrek to keep me captive? I commend your failure at trying to predict my fate.” The gathered Skrall remained silent for seconds, before Tervok spoke up again. “Though I do know you abandoned me out of fear, my allies. You left me to face the wrath of a newly formed civilisation just to save your own hide.” Silence continued to echo following Tervok’s words. “However... I’m feeling strangely merciful today, and I will allow you to serve under me again.” “Really,” asked a soldier. Tervok lowered his head into a menacing posture. “Of course… Though I expect absolute loyalty, starting from now.” “We submit,” said the assembled Skrall in unison. “Good…” whispered Tervok. “Good.” “Leader, we have much to tell you of what has happened as of late,” said one warrior. “As do I,” added Tervok. “As I have made an alliance with a group that could possibly reform the Rock Tribe; and set us up as the rulers of Spherus Magna!” “Who are these people,” asked another Skrall. “Why should I tell you,” started Tervok. “When I can show you!” At that moment the air chilled, and leaves and twigs gave way as the bat-like form of Makuta Dredzek materialized beside Tervok. The other Skrall whispered in shock and fear, and slowly started to back away. Dredzek shot them a glance that froze the warriors right dead in their tracks. “W-what manner of creature is that,” spluttered a fearful Skrall. “I am a Makuta. One of the most powerful beings in existence, and one of the last to still breathe the air of life… If I could breathe.” “It talks?! How does it talk? How does it do that?” Dredzek snarled, and a dark arm of crimson energy shot out from his chest, grabbed the terrified Skrall, and retracted him into his body. The other Skrall stared at Dredzek, total fear flickering in their eyes. “I am not an ‘’It’’, as that fool put it. If you wish to continue living, then you will show me some respect.” The other Skrall nodded in fearful obedience. Then another warrior spoke up again, expressing enough bravery as to question the Makuta. “Why do you want to help us?” Dredzek’s fanged mouth shaped into a smile, an uncharacteristic feature for one such as him. “Because my master believes it would be… beneficial for both our groups if we work together to further our agendas. And if you are willing to join us, then the plans of Millennium and the Shadow of Ages will set us up as the rulers of all that exists!” ---- An icy storm chilled a mountain on Spherus Magna. The mountain was a new formation on the planet’s face, having erupted from the ground when Mata Nui revived the planet. Now, it towered as one of the tallest mountains one could see. Near the very top of the mountain, a single figure stood, eying the world below. Although he could not clearly see the villages and settlements before him, he could easily distinguish their rough shapes. At that, Toa Soalaz turned away from the mountain peak and started his trek down the mountain. This place had everything he required to call a home. It was uninhabited, it was quiet, and above all, no one would journey here. At least that’s what he believed until he noticed a silhouette shifting in the shadows. Soalaz removed his sword from its scabbard, and assumed a battle stance. A few seconds passed before the veteran Toa spoke. “Show yourself.” He said in a chillingly calm voice. Nothing emerged out of the blizzard. Soalaz sighed, and activated his eyepiece. After mentally adjusting the device to suit his needs, Soalaz began scanning the area with infrared vision. Minutes passed as he viewed the landscape until he heard the delicate sound of snowflakes being crushed. He turned his head to the area of the noise, and examined a distortion in the snow. A footprint, he thought. Roughly the same size of that of a Toa or a... Soalaz eyes widened, as he realized who his unseen enemy was. Or a Skakdi! Soalaz spun around too late to see what has happening, though when he turned his head, his eyepiece could make out the form a Skakdi warrior leaping at him, weapon in hand. As the warrior landed on him, Soalaz could only look at his attacker in shock as he roared and added a mind-numbing blow to the Toa’s head. As he fell unconscious, only one word echoed throughout Soalaz’s mind as the world around him blurred. Help. Chapter 6 Shadows shifted off Skorr's body as he strode through a valley. He had retrieved what his employer desired; and now he was searching for the beings he had agreed to meet with in order to exchange the fruits of his victory. For his employer, it was a mysterious artifact. A strange component of an unknown design or purpose. For Skorr, it was a reward so great that it made the fees the Brotherhood of Makuta had once offered him in the past look puny. The fact that he had fulfilled his mission only served to increase Skorr's impatience to retrieve his payment. And an impatient Skorr was the last thing a client wanted becoming a problem. Skorr stopped. He sensed a... presence. Something strange, something alien. When he turned around, his gaze met nothing. All he saw was an expressionless face that showed no emotion. And the word expressionless described the being's face almost perfectly. After all, he had no facial features to express. "Faceless," muttered Skorr bitterly. "I... wasn't expecting you to be my payer." "Whether you like it or not, Skorr, Millennium has sent me to 'reward' you. Now hand over the artifact." "Please, old friend, save me the friendly little demands and pay me before I am forced to remove one of your limbs. Or maybe two." "If you two can please stop arguing perhaps we can reach an arrangement." Skorr looked down to see a small orange and black armoured Agori standing beside Faceless. "My name is Hanzek. I'm an ally of Millennium. I was sent down to make sure negotiations... ran smoothly." Skorr nodded. The fact he had not throttled the pair to death was a miracle enough as it was. Finally, almost reluctantly, he passed over the artifact into Faceless' hands. "Excellent," the Dark Hunter whispered. Skorr raised his sword menacingly. "Perhaps we can return to the subject of my payment. I would like it now." Hanzek pulled out a small bag, which Skorr snatched out of his grip in an instant. His eyes gleamed greedily as he counted his loot. “Your mission doesn’t end here though,” added Faceless. “Oh? I was under the assumption that I was hired to retrieve this device for your master.” “Yes, one device out of six.” “Six?” “Yes, Skorr. Millennium wants all six relics, for his purposes.” Skorr paused. “You do know you’ll have to pay me for the gathering of these artifacts?” “Indeed, we are willing to pay you for your services. Thirty thousand is our offer.” “I’ll take your offer, though I request thirty thousand for each artifact I retrieve.” “Each?!” screeched Faceless, a mixture of shock and anger contorting on his face. “Thirty thousand is enough as it is for all the equipment!” “If you want my services you must first fulfill my requests. If you cannot pay me, then I won’t help you.” A silence that felt like an hour passed by before Hanzek replied. “Very well, we will submit to your demands. You will receive thirty thousand for each artifact you retrieve.” Skorr nodded silently, a smile curving on his face. Then, in a blinding flash of light, he activated his teleporter and was gone, leaving behind his two speechless employers. ---- Millennium sat on his throne, the thoughts of his plan rolling through his mind. It was a truly brilliant scheme. One which encompassed not only the events of the present, but those of the past as well. He chuckled softly as he leaned back into the dark overshadow of his throne, his bloodred eyes piercing the darkness. Using his telekinetic powers, Millennium forced a stone tablet to rise from one of his desks, and float gently into his hands. He gripped the tablet firmly as he scanned its contents. Two beings beings were depicted on it; one a Toa of Fire, another a winged Makuta. Oh, you two fools had no idea what a part you are playing in my plan, he thought to himself. The way you stubbornly walked around, blind of my intentions, is almost humorous. Millennium leaned forward to get a better look at the carvings, toying with the tablet in his clawed hands. But if anything is certain this day, then it is that no would ever suspect that Toa Vakama and Makuta Teridax have evolved into the pinnacle of my entire plan! With an almost mocking laugh, Millennium lunged the tablet into the air, which eventually collided into the far wall with a satisfying shattering sound. No one can oppose me. No one can stop me. And soon, all of existence will have no alternative but to bow before my will. Yes... At long last. ---- Mersery stood inside a small hut, his eyes scanning the bizarre sight before him. Beside him were Flardrek and Falmed, who shared his equal view of confusion. Though whilst they looked at the sight before them with puzzlement, Mersery stared it with pure fascination and interest. "And your certain something was taken from within this... 'chamber'?" asked Mersery. "Indeed," answered Flardrek. "That bounty hunter left behind a series of distinctive marks in this room that indicates he stole something." Mersery nodded slowly, and proceeded to advance towards the chamber. It was a very strange room to find in such a small simple hut. After all, unknown rooms hidden behind the wall of your home, tend to have that affect. Mersery had examined several times the exterior of the hut, which had been built against a large rock formation embedded in the ground. The far wall of the hut's interior was entirely made of rock, and right now, a majority of that wall had been melted down to reveal a descending set of stairs that lead to a chamber with a small, stone column. "Fascinating," began Mersery. "This chamber has some kind of... perception filter." "perception filter?" asked Falmed. "Yes, Falmed. A telepathic effect which misdirects the senses around itself or the being using it. If you were to use such a method of perception, you would direct attention away from yourself, rendering you unnoticeable." "Then how could some break into such an 'invisible' chamber?" inquired Flardrek. Mersery spoke. "Simple: The person who broke into this chamber already knew it existed. In this case, Skorr knew it existed." "You've lost me there," replied Flardrek. "A perception mechanism of this kind can only work if the beings it is affecting does not actually wish to locate the entity or object being shielded. In this case, Skorr was looking for this shielded room, and since he knew where it was, it was unable to shift his senses off it." Mersery strode forward, the pain and strain inflicted on him earlier having finally vanished. Perching himself on the edge of the first stair, Merery scanned the room for anything that might suggest theft. "The question is, what did Skorr steal?" Mersery, Flardrek, and Falmed strode out of the hut, and stared out into the distance as the sun set, marking the end of the day. Mersery's mind was buzzing with unanswered questions, theories, calculations, and dark concepts. What was the meaning of his dream? And what significance could Millennium be playing in all this? Among all of Mersery's worrying questions, however, one certain goal emerged: Millennium must be found. Suddenly, noises were heard in the distance. Agori? Skrall? Skorr back for another raid? In fact, it turned out to be none of those possibilities. When Mersery and his companions turned to see to figures striding across a dune, dull sunlight glittering off their armour. One of these beings was a Toa, bearing pitted and battle-scarred white armour. The other was a warrior that both Mersery and Flardrek knew of old. Flardrek raised his sword to attack, though Mersery gestured for him to not. When the pair were close enough Mersery spoke. "So, Freztrak. And the famous Toa Soalaz, what brings you here?" "Many things," began Freztrak. "We have much to talk about. And Mata Nui protect us if we're too late." Characters *Millennium *Unnamed Shadow of Ages member *Mersery *Several unnamed Matoran *Several unnamed Agori *Unnamed Turaga *Several Skrall warriors **Tervok *Falmed *Flardrek *Dredzek *Freztrak *Unnamed assassin *Skorr *Soalaz Trivia *The story's header image was provided by user . *The main image of the story is inaccurate, as it depicts Mersery and Flardrek in their designs. This was because the header picture was created prior to both their upgrades. Category:Stories